Apple Seeks Patent on Fused Glass Enclosures for Use on iPhones, iPads, iPods, Displays, and Televisions

Apple last week filed for a European patent (via Patently Apple) on methods for fusing glass pieces together to create various types of glass enclosures for a number of products. While the patent application specifically addresses the general concept of such devices, examples and drawings included in the application outline how the process could be applied to such products as iPhones, iPads, iPods, displays, and even televisions.

Three independent claims in the application describe Apple's use of fused glass to create housings to cover displays or other components:

Quote:

1. An electronic device, comprising: a display; and a housing in which the display is mounted, wherein the housing includes glass structures that have a recess that receives at least part of the display, wherein the glass housing structures include a planar glass member fused with a peripheral glass member that extends around at least some peripheral edge portions of the planar glass member to form the recess.

11. An electronic device, comprising: an electronic device housing formed from fused glass members including at least first and second opposing planar glass members that are separated by a gap; and display structures inserted into the gap.

20. A method of forming an electronic device, comprising: polishing a planar glass member; fusing a peripheral glass member to at least part of an edge portion of the planar glass member to thicken the planar glass member at the edge portion; and attaching the planar glass member and fused peripheral glass member to a housing structure.

Example showing an extruded glass enclosure with fused end cap

Further descriptions suggest that while glass display housings could be paired with enclosures made of other materials as on many Apple products, entire enclosures could be also be made of glass.

Of notable interest, Apple design chief Jonathan Ive is named as one of the inventors on the patent, along with Apple designers Peter Russell-Clarke and Mike Pilliod.

Hand-drawn figure from Apple's original U.S. filing showing a display and other components inserted into a fused all-glass enclosure

Interestingly, the European patent application cites as priority a U.S. application filed in January 2012. That application was quietly published on July 25 of this year following the expiration of the 18-month confidentiality period on applications, although the application did not specifically name Apple as the assignee of the rights. That application also included rather crude hand drawings for its figures, drawings that were translated into more professional illustrations for the European filing.

The iPad/rMBP service philosophy strikes again. At least with the latter two you can get the tools to service them yourself. There would be no way to access the unit without breaking the enclosure. I assume manufacturing defects would be dealt with by simply swapping the unit with a new one.

I don't think the current technology and production can handle such a patent. Good on apple for being ahead of the game though, and i think this technology could create stronger, longer lasting screens.

I assume manufacturing defects would be dealt with by simply swapping the unit with a new one.

Which is how many of Apple's lineup are already "fixed." If you know before you buy the device, that it's not user reparable, why complain? Buy the incredibly good investment of Apple care, and save yourself some money.

i.e. iPhone 5 screens are still $150 when bought from third parties. You'd still have to replace the display, and you'd still have a screwed up phone (externally). If you bought $99 Applecare however, the $49 deductible for a new iPhone would put you at the same $150 spent on a replacement display, except that now you got a new (refurb) device. And you still have one $49 damage replacement in the bank. Pretty good deal to me. Plus the telephone support for iOS, airport, Apple TV, and Apple apps, which is included in an Applecare plan, I'd say it's probably less expensive to just buy Applecare and forget about fixing stuff yourself. This come from a man who used to fix Macs. It just seems to be cheaper and easier to get the Apple care, than to do things the old way.